[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Star_Registry"]International Star Registry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]
http://www.starregistry.com/
http://www.iau.org/public/buying_star_names/
http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&...=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1024&bih=606
http://www.google.com/images?um=1&h...sch:1&sa=1&q=name+a+star&aq=f&aqi=g9&aql=&oq=
These prices range from like $50 to $500 good god!!!!!
Uhm, yeh.. Nice idea. But what about the IAU, apparently they don't recognize it, STILL!! Somebody's gotta get them involved. And guess what?? --The name is recorded in a vault in Switzerland. Or perhaps a metal file cabinet under a desk. The key legal thing is the certificate says the name is recorded in a registry. Turns out that the registry is basically a book with a list of names, copyrighted by the company running the scheme.
In the meantime, here is how I do my own home-brew Star Registry kit. I just already made two of them and they were big hits!
1 -- I make up my own certificate, this is nice because you can query the subject ahead of time to find out their favorite constellations or stars. All you need is Photoshop or Paintshop Pro, and perhaps Gimp or OpenOffice. You get the idea. Just use some classical Davinci-era fonts or ye'olde English fonts and background graphics or whatever floats your boat. Nasa's website and the internet in general is full of stuff to pilfer if you suck at drawing.
2 -- I get a nice frame from wal-mart, this is the most expensive part of the deal. Print up the cert and make it really expensive looking.
3 -- Print up some charts from your favorite astronomy program. I have found that two sizes of two different views works great! Perhaps a 3rd one with constellation illustrations or lines. Be sure it has the SAO or HIP numbers. Don't forget the magnitude, RA/DEC, spectral type, be sure you also include magnitude, flamsteed name, hour angles, distance, parallax, etc. You want this to look technical. Put the charts in a brass-cornered portfolio presentation folder. You can write a little story about the constellations and an event in the recipient's life. Be sure and print the charts on a card stock type of paper. For more realism you can print an overhead projector clear overlay. The point is you wanna have some hefty-looking documentation.
4 -- Edit Stellarium's database. Pick a star and insert the person's name. Then make a script file to allow easy 1-click viewing of the newly named star. You can easily edit the names.fab file, or go a little further and make your own star by adding it in as a nebula.
5 -- Burn up a copy of Stellarium onto a nice CD. It has to be a good expensive-looking CD, in an even more-expensive-looking frame with a velvet background. You know, or perhaps a decorative case, something other than a plastic jewel case or paper envelope.
6 -- Put the whole thing in one of those big plastic envelopes that companies send out hiring packages in. Then put that in a box. I use the USPS fixed-rate boxes and spray paint them black. With some white dots here and there and a few stylized silver-glitter stars.
And there you have it!! You can do as much or as little gussy-ing up as you see fit.
---------- Post added at 01:01 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:51 AM ----------
Sometimes this lends itself to disguising other gifts, like if you're gonna get a briefcase as the main present put all this crap in it. Or a new laptop, just pull it out and get underway with the planetarium program demo. And let them know they can keep the computer as an afterthought.
I did something like this for a pilot buddy, I got him x-plane. And made him a model to fly inside the simulator, of the same make/model of his plane, same color scheme, with the real plane's REAL registration number. That was a huge hit! Better than I thought.
---------- Post added at 02:13 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:01 AM ----------
I thought it funny and stupid that ISR could force an Observatory and its director into silence by threatening legal action; because the director published a FAQ!
http://www.starregistry.com/
http://www.iau.org/public/buying_star_names/
http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&...=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1024&bih=606
http://www.google.com/images?um=1&h...sch:1&sa=1&q=name+a+star&aq=f&aqi=g9&aql=&oq=
These prices range from like $50 to $500 good god!!!!!
Uhm, yeh.. Nice idea. But what about the IAU, apparently they don't recognize it, STILL!! Somebody's gotta get them involved. And guess what?? --The name is recorded in a vault in Switzerland. Or perhaps a metal file cabinet under a desk. The key legal thing is the certificate says the name is recorded in a registry. Turns out that the registry is basically a book with a list of names, copyrighted by the company running the scheme.
In the meantime, here is how I do my own home-brew Star Registry kit. I just already made two of them and they were big hits!
1 -- I make up my own certificate, this is nice because you can query the subject ahead of time to find out their favorite constellations or stars. All you need is Photoshop or Paintshop Pro, and perhaps Gimp or OpenOffice. You get the idea. Just use some classical Davinci-era fonts or ye'olde English fonts and background graphics or whatever floats your boat. Nasa's website and the internet in general is full of stuff to pilfer if you suck at drawing.
2 -- I get a nice frame from wal-mart, this is the most expensive part of the deal. Print up the cert and make it really expensive looking.
3 -- Print up some charts from your favorite astronomy program. I have found that two sizes of two different views works great! Perhaps a 3rd one with constellation illustrations or lines. Be sure it has the SAO or HIP numbers. Don't forget the magnitude, RA/DEC, spectral type, be sure you also include magnitude, flamsteed name, hour angles, distance, parallax, etc. You want this to look technical. Put the charts in a brass-cornered portfolio presentation folder. You can write a little story about the constellations and an event in the recipient's life. Be sure and print the charts on a card stock type of paper. For more realism you can print an overhead projector clear overlay. The point is you wanna have some hefty-looking documentation.
4 -- Edit Stellarium's database. Pick a star and insert the person's name. Then make a script file to allow easy 1-click viewing of the newly named star. You can easily edit the names.fab file, or go a little further and make your own star by adding it in as a nebula.
5 -- Burn up a copy of Stellarium onto a nice CD. It has to be a good expensive-looking CD, in an even more-expensive-looking frame with a velvet background. You know, or perhaps a decorative case, something other than a plastic jewel case or paper envelope.
6 -- Put the whole thing in one of those big plastic envelopes that companies send out hiring packages in. Then put that in a box. I use the USPS fixed-rate boxes and spray paint them black. With some white dots here and there and a few stylized silver-glitter stars.
And there you have it!! You can do as much or as little gussy-ing up as you see fit.
---------- Post added at 01:01 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:51 AM ----------
Sometimes this lends itself to disguising other gifts, like if you're gonna get a briefcase as the main present put all this crap in it. Or a new laptop, just pull it out and get underway with the planetarium program demo. And let them know they can keep the computer as an afterthought.
I did something like this for a pilot buddy, I got him x-plane. And made him a model to fly inside the simulator, of the same make/model of his plane, same color scheme, with the real plane's REAL registration number. That was a huge hit! Better than I thought.
---------- Post added at 02:13 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:01 AM ----------
I thought it funny and stupid that ISR could force an Observatory and its director into silence by threatening legal action; because the director published a FAQ!
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